He puts it into my hand. I can see him making eyes at Bryce and Max over myshoulder.
“Fuck,” Bryce says, as though he knows something already. But how can he? I look at the note in my hand and startreading.
£150k,no fucking police or the mouthy bitch might just find herself in a body bag at the bottom of the River Thames. I know she means a lot to Tuitti Fruiti. Guess who’s next if you don’t pay up. You know thescore.
“Smithy…He’s got Nisha? How did this happen? You were supposed to be looking after her!” I shout at Calum. Hewinces.
“I’m sorry, Louisa. We were having a meal, Nisha went to the toilet. When she didn’t return after a few minutes, I went to see if she was alright. I thought perhaps she’d got sick. When I couldn’t find her, I returned to our table and that note was there. After what Bryce told me, I knew it was from the same man who threatenedyou.”
My hand flies up to my mouth, smothering the scream that is rising up in my throat. Bryce steps up behind me, touching me gently on the arm. I turn on him. “Tell me what you know, Bryce,” I say steadily, my voice deadlycalm.
Bryce grits his teeth, his eyes flicking toHudson.
“Don’t fucking look at him. Tell me what the hell is going on!” I shout. Somewhere in the back of my head a small voice is telling me to calm down, to try and be reasonable, that this is my mum’s fault, not theirs. But she’s dead and they’re the only people I’ve got to blame, aside from my stupid fucking self. Why do I ever think my life could be easy, simple? It never has been, and it never will be, and now poor Nisha has got mixed up in itall.
“When I arranged for the money to be delivered to pay off your mum’s debt, Smithy sent my courier back with a similar note. He threatened furtheractionif we didn’t pay ten times the amount he claimed from your mum. The greedy bastard somehow figured out who I was and tried to extort more money from us. I passed it off as all talk. I didn’t think the lowlife piece of scum would follow through. We chalked him up as a petty criminal and not one we needed to concern ourselves with. I’m sorry, Louisa, we underestimated him.” Bryce swipes a hand through hishair.
“So you sent Nisha out, knowing that fucking creep had threatened usboth.”
“It’s wasn’t like that,” Max says, trying to placate me. “She was with Cal. We didn’t think he would go through with his threat. We thought she’d beokay.”
“Well she isn’t, is she? Now that bastard has Nisha. Fuck knows what he’s going to do with her,” I yell atMax.
Hudson places his hands on my shoulders. “Louisa, we will make this right. We will find Nisha and we’ll sort that fucker out once and forall.”
I twist in his arms, slapping his hands away. “You said you would keep ussafe.I trusted you to do that. I trusted all of you, but now that bastard has Nisha. He’ll hurt her. You know what he did to me within five minutes of entering myflat.”
“Louisa, we’ll find her. We will bring her home,” Hudson says firmly. He glances over his shoulder at Calum. “Call Clifford, tell him what’s happened and that I want to meet him at the office. Max, you’re with me. Bryce, stay here and look after Louisa. She does not step outside this house. Keep her safe, she trusts you to dothat.”
I laugh out loud at theirony.
“I’m coming too,” Calum says. “She was my responsibility. I need to make this right.” He glances at me, an apology on his face. “Iwillbring herback.”
I nod tightly, not able to respond. Calum strides past us, pulling out his mobile phone. He takes the steps down to the front door two at atime.
“I’m going to get dressed. Max, wait in the car, I’ll be there in a few,” Hudson says, before rushing backupstairs.
Max stops in front of me. “We’ll findher.”
“Go, I’ll take care of Louisa,” Bryce says. Turning to me, he places his hand on my lower back and steers me towards the kitchen. “Sit down. I’ll make you a sweettea.”
“I don’t want a sodding tea,” I say, slamming my hand on thecounter.
“Then something stronger,perhaps?”
“I don’t want a drink,Bryce.”
He ignores me, heads to one of the cabinets and pulls out a bottle of brandy and two glasses. He pours himself a glass and downs it. Then he pours me one and slides it across the table. I leave itthere.
I hear footsteps pounding down the stairs. Hudson strides over to me and pulls me into his arms. He tightens his grip when I try to push himaway.
“We’ll bring her back. I promise you, Louisa, we won’t come home without her.” Stepping away, he addresses Bryce. “Send me the location of where the courier delivered themoney.”
“Already done,” Bryce says, placing his phone on thetable.
“I’ll call you with updates,” he says, before rushing from the room. I hear the front door slam, and moments later the sound of a car speeding out of thedrive.
“What if they don’t bring her back, Bryce? I can’t lose her…” A sob escapes my throat as hot tears pour from my eyes. How could the night turn from one of love and hope, to grief and loss so quickly? My body begins to tremble violently. Bryce is by my side in an instant. He doesn’t say a word, he just holds me against his chest until I have no more tearsleft.